Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
San Francisco : Chronicle Books, c1993.
Description
The Griffin & Sabine and continued in Sabine's Notebook concludes as the mystery of the two artists deepens and the content of each letter or postcard ultimately reveals the secrets behind their spirited, imaginative union.
User reviews
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
I'm reviewing these two together because I read them totally out of order. leaving me with little idea of story quality. I'd read Griffin and Sabine years ago and loved it - the artwork, the interactivity of it, and the way it ended mysteriously. A couple of years ago I acquired these two books at
Except last night I was in the mood for books with pieces, so I grabbed them to read anyway.
Definitely not a series to read out of order. The Golden Mean was ok - I figured out enough from having read the first book to follow along fine, but Alexandria has new characters that were somehow involved in everything and I was more than a little clueless, although I was left with the feeling that Bantock was reaching for plot by the end.
Regardless, the art is still stunning. I love the postcards and whenever a 'real' letter appeared on the page, the thrill of opening it, extracting the letter and reading it, never got old.
I'm still going to search out the rest of the books; if I ever find them, I'll read the whole series again - in order - and see if the plot goes as off the rails as it looks to me now.
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a sale and put them away until I could get the missing three, and read them in order.Except last night I was in the mood for books with pieces, so I grabbed them to read anyway.
Definitely not a series to read out of order. The Golden Mean was ok - I figured out enough from having read the first book to follow along fine, but Alexandria has new characters that were somehow involved in everything and I was more than a little clueless, although I was left with the feeling that Bantock was reaching for plot by the end.
Regardless, the art is still stunning. I love the postcards and whenever a 'real' letter appeared on the page, the thrill of opening it, extracting the letter and reading it, never got old.
I'm still going to search out the rest of the books; if I ever find them, I'll read the whole series again - in order - and see if the plot goes as off the rails as it looks to me now.
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LibraryThing member maggie1944
A love story told through letters, postcards and art work in three volumes. When these books were first noticed by me they seemed quite unusual and creative. I don't think they have worn well. There are other books using the same, or similar, techniques which are more interesting. In the end, this
It is a moody read and one which I can see may appeal to some readers so I do not warn people off. I just did not find it to my taste.
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story did not satisfy. It is a moody read and one which I can see may appeal to some readers so I do not warn people off. I just did not find it to my taste.
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LibraryThing member caerulius
The fabulous conclusion of the original trilogy of the correspondence of Griffin and Sabine. Except, it isn't an ending at all.
Aside from the beautiful visuals of all of Bantock's works, the Griffin and Sabine books fulfill a voyeuristic leaning- the desire to read someone else's mail. Each page is
Aside from the beautiful visuals of all of Bantock's works, the Griffin and Sabine books fulfill a voyeuristic leaning- the desire to read someone else's mail. Each page is
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not merely a beautiful image with text, but envelopes you can open, notes you can pull out and unfold and read, complete with scratched out typos and margin doodles. The concept, that of a pair of lovers who have met in a mindspace that seems to have crossed dimensions, though they have never met, continues to be lovely and poignant. Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
Such a nice conclusion to the series. The art is fantastic, as always, and the ending is both satisfying and tantalizing.
LibraryThing member miketroll
(from bookcrossing bookshelf):
This is the final volume in the trilogy.
The impact of the first two books was astonishing. Objectively, not a great deal happened, but the reader felt suddenly thrust into a different reality. This moment is sustained in the final book.
The appeal of this trilogy is
There is an immediacy and intimacy in reading what appears to be handwritten letters from a friend. One almost becomes a character in the story. There is also the guilty frisson of reading someone else's private correspondence. Delicious! Uncanny!
Just one small reservation: I found the conclusion opaque (but will say little in case you have yet to read it yourself).
This is the final volume in the trilogy.
The impact of the first two books was astonishing. Objectively, not a great deal happened, but the reader felt suddenly thrust into a different reality. This moment is sustained in the final book.
The appeal of this trilogy is
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due partly to the sumptuous, often surrealist artwork, also to the (no doubt expensive) technique of presenting the text in real postcards and letters - in envelopes attached to the page! There is an immediacy and intimacy in reading what appears to be handwritten letters from a friend. One almost becomes a character in the story. There is also the guilty frisson of reading someone else's private correspondence. Delicious! Uncanny!
Just one small reservation: I found the conclusion opaque (but will say little in case you have yet to read it yourself).
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LibraryThing member FireandIce
I found myself looking forward to each new postcard/letter and couldn't help but race through the final book in the trilogy. The ending wasn't at all what I was expecting...and I liked it! I look forward to reading Bantock's three follow-ups that were written a decade after the originals.
LibraryThing member JechtShot
Griffin and Sabine, lovers through correspondence alone. Something in the universe appears to be keeping them apart, will they ever meet or will they be forced to suffer through a relationship based on letters alone?
The conclusion to the original trilogy was a bit weak for me. First off, a new
The conclusion to the original trilogy was a bit weak for me. First off, a new
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voice was introduced which unbalanced the pacing and mood of the letters. Secondly, the ending was a bit too sudden and open for my tastes. The book was still enjoyable, the novelty of reading someone else's letters has not grown stale and the artwork is still as intriguing and thought provoking as ever. A beautiful series. Show Less
LibraryThing member -Eva-
The third part of the trilogy brings Sabine in danger from a stranger who has come to experiment on her and Griffin's link and the two conspire to escape together. Another very inventive and aesthetically interesting epistolary story with intriguing art to match. This is the "conclusion" to the
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Griffin and Sabine story, which turns out to be as elusive as the rest of the story. The art is darker and, in my opinion even better in this installment, but I still wish that the overall story were a little more substantial. Show Less
LibraryThing member MrsLee
Another delightful episode in the adventure of Sabine and Griffin. Again I am amazed at what drama and suspense can be achieved through a few postcards and letters which are beautifully illustrated.
LibraryThing member MABoone
Nancy Werlin and faeries. What could be better?
LibraryThing member MABoone
Nancy Werlin and faeries. What could be better?
LibraryThing member amerynth
"The Golden Mean," the third book in Nick Bantock's first Griffin and Sabine trilogy comes to a somewhat dissatisfying end.... (without getting into spoilers, I think I "get" it but I still have lots of questions.)
The ending aside, this book remains fun to read for the same reason the earlier
I will probably carry on reading the second trilogy since I remember very little of it (much less than this original set.)
The ending aside, this book remains fun to read for the same reason the earlier
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books were -- I love the idea of reading someone else's mail as the premise of a book and this is just so effectively done with the actual postcards and letters. I will probably carry on reading the second trilogy since I remember very little of it (much less than this original set.)
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LibraryThing member heidilove
It made me get all happy and muppet-some and stuff. Quite beautiful, sentimental, and overall a lovely exploration of art as story.
LibraryThing member fundevogel
Failing to meet up in the previous book Griffin and Sabine chalk up their inability to meet face to face to belonging to separate dimensions. Which I suppose might seem romantic to some people. To me it sounded like "woo" justification for being completely incapable of arranging a simple rendevous,
In any case this allows Bantock to maintain his old epistolary format, once again restricting his characters' action to the page. To balance the inevitable inertia he introduces a new correspondant, one Frolatti. He is a villain! He threatens Sabine! He coerces Griffin! He is apparently dangerously obsessed with the would be lovers! Unfortunately he's clearly a plot device hastily wrapped up in what's meant to be some sort of uncanny existential threat. That or Griffin and Sabine are just bonkers as they confide their belief that he is sinister flocks of birds and the like.
Conveniently at the end of the book they pull some random bit of wishful mysticism out of their butts and are suddenly convinced that it is the one and only magical doorway that will connect their worlds! Just as they believe Frolatti is closing in on them of course.
I liked this story better when the mystery was in it's openness to interpretation, not mystical wankery.
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despite their ostensible desire for eachother. In any case this allows Bantock to maintain his old epistolary format, once again restricting his characters' action to the page. To balance the inevitable inertia he introduces a new correspondant, one Frolatti. He is a villain! He threatens Sabine! He coerces Griffin! He is apparently dangerously obsessed with the would be lovers! Unfortunately he's clearly a plot device hastily wrapped up in what's meant to be some sort of uncanny existential threat. That or Griffin and Sabine are just bonkers as they confide their belief that he is sinister flocks of birds and the like.
Conveniently at the end of the book they pull some random bit of wishful mysticism out of their butts and are suddenly convinced that it is the one and only magical doorway that will connect their worlds! Just as they believe Frolatti is closing in on them of course.
I liked this story better when the mystery was in it's openness to interpretation, not mystical wankery.
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LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
The series ends on a creepy set of circumstances. As far as I could tell, despite trying to meet up 'on middle ground', Sabine doesn't ever connect with Griffin. The plot is somewhat derailed by the introduction of the sinister Victor Frolatti.
LibraryThing member bnbookgirl
Ahhhh. A sign of happiness. I love this series and this one continues the story of Griffin and Sabine. They are still struggling with forces that keep them separated; can their love prevail?
LibraryThing member hopeevey
I can't at all explain how nor why I love this series so very much. Perhaps I crave such a powerful, impossible relationship? Regardless of why, I do adore these books!
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
This is the second Griffin and Sabine book I read - I missed these originally (thought they were correspondence between two, presumably famous, people I'd never heard of). It's...not exactly a twist, because the whole thing is twisted. But someone else can write to Griffin now - and seems to be a
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threat to their link. I think it had a happy ending, though it's hard to tell - finally get in touch with him? Hmm. And despite being labeled the conclusion of the correspondence, there's apparently at least three more books. Which I'll read, at some point, when I come across them - I won't particularly search them out. Show Less
LibraryThing member PlanCultivateCreate
Curiouser and curiouser...
LibraryThing member Anniais
You will want to kill the author and he will deserve to die!!
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
Summed up on the cover, The Golden Mean "in which the extraordinary correspondence of Griffin & Sabine concludes". Beautiful illustrations, a mystical relationship (or is it insanity?) and a teasing ending to the letters of Griffin and Sabine from England to the Simcom Islands. An unusual
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romance. Show Less
LibraryThing member judithrs
The Golden Mean; in Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Concludes. Nick Bantock. 1993. The art work in this book is just as eccentric and whimsical as it was in the previous books in this series, but the rest of it is a big nothing. Skip it.
LibraryThing member m.belljackson
The end of the trilogy moves along more calm and mellow,
still with beautiful illustrations and another slow plot,
now involving a mysterious and unnecessary villain.
still with beautiful illustrations and another slow plot,
now involving a mysterious and unnecessary villain.
LibraryThing member Rascalstar
Well....fascinating. Just fascinating. A discussion group on this series should be lively. Oh the possibilities! Anyone can read this series in a day. For some, the story and its myriad facets will remain for a long time. What really did happen?
I would like to recommend these books to everyone,
I would like to recommend these books to everyone,
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but they aren't for everyone. Some won't appreciate the quirky, odd, meaningful art. Most would like the format, I'd guess. Some won't like the unknowns, but I find them delicious. Food for the mind. And the details. If you read it, pay attention to all the details on every page. Just notice them. Show Less
LibraryThing member Crowyhead
Sometimes I find these books almost frustratingly tantalizing, because there's so much story that you have to sort of make up for yourself. But they're completely gorgeous and always leave me dreaming.
Language
Original publication date
1993
Physical description
21 cm
ISBN
9780811802987
Local notes
Griffin & Sabine, 3
DDC/MDS
| Fic Gen Bantock |